Quick disconnect socket holder



Nov. '17,- 1959 'M; J, PARTYKA 2,913,714

I QUICK DISCONNECT SOCKET HOLDER Filed se thz. 1955 A K RU. 8 .7 H I Nm? vi m m r 1 w W l M MW pm United States Patent The invention describedherein may be manufactured and used by or for the Governmentofthe'United States of Americafor governmental purposes without, thepayment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to improvements in lamp holders, and moreparticularly pertains toimprovements in quick disconnect lamp socketholders.

Miniature lamps are mounted frequently in relatively inaccessiblepositions. As aresult, they are diifi'cult to handle when they are to bereplaced. Frequently, be cause of the required positioning of a lamp ina device, the instrument must be dismantled partially to gain access tothe spent lamp to be replaced. Considerable time and labor is lost,unless some rapid means to replace the spent lamp bulb is possible. Thequick disconnecting means of the subject invention overcomes thesedifficulties and provides a holder for small lamp bulbs that eliminatesthe necessity for threading a lamp bulb socket into its holder and alsoautomatically centers the lamp bulb in the correct position to providethe required illumination. In addition, the lamp bulb and socket can beremoved readily and replaced even in positions that permit the insertionof only two fingers.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a lamp holder thatpermits the lamp thereof to be removed facilely for replacement.

Another object is to provide a lamp holder adapted to receive a lampbulb and without requiring prolonged effort to effect accurate locationthereof within the retaining housing.

A further object is to provide means to enable a lamp bulb to be removedand replaced quickly even though the lamp holder is located in arelatively inaccessible position.

Still another object is to provide a lamp holder that will allowreplacement of a bulb quickly and accurately, employing only the senseof touch.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same I becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a disconnect socket holder, showing apreferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The socket holder of the invention is adapted to be mounted inoperational equipment. It is particularly advantageous when the lamp tobe replaced is ordinarily difficult to reach, and would requiredismantling of some portions of the apparatus in order to be removed andreplaced.

The housing for the lamp socket holder consists of an elongated tubularbarrel or housing 10, retained in axial alignment with lamp housing 12by means of connecting 2,913,714 Patented Nov. 17, 1959 ice channel bodymember 14. Terminal. pin 16 extends through tubular housing 10 andsecures one end of compression spring 181- extending, Within thehousing. The other end of spring 18 isretained at 20 on plunger 22. 7Channel member 14 is integral: with the lower portion,

of lamp housing 12: and terminates in guide ring 24.

Ring 24 aligns with the; end of tubular housing 10 and 32 is .secured onthe. free endof plunger 22 andfunctions as. the means. by which theplunger is grasped. and is moved back. againstthe force of spring 18.Collar 32.

also extends into semi-circular channel 14 (see Fig. 3 and-guidesplunger rod.22 in its axial movement.

Lamp bulb 34 is threaded into lamp socket 36. Lamp socket'36 isffreelyseatedin channel 14 andabutsthe forward edge of. plunger rod. 22. Lampbulb 34 is.

threaded into socket, 36' and is urged against .'ii1 sulated plug"member" 38. Plug member 38. is. drum shaped and contains axially alignedapertures 40 and 42. Plug member 38 is preferably of insulationmaterial.

Plug member 38 is used when it is necessary to pro vide a point sourceof light. Where diffusion of the illumination from lamp bulb 34 isacceptable, plug 38 is not inserted. This allows the light from the lampbulb to emerge from the larger outlet end of housing 12 as a wide-angledbeam.

Lead wires 44 are connected to socket holder 36 and lead back to asource of electrical current. Since housing 12 and channel 14 are madeof non-conducting material, there is no problem of shorting out thecircuit. Obviously, equivalent means of insulation can be substituted.

Spring 18 urges plunger rod 22 towards housing 12. Lamp socket 36 isseated freely against the edge of rod 22 and collar 32 and extends atleast partly within housing 12. Lamp bulb 34 is threaded into socket 36and is pushed against plug 38. This stops forward movement of plungerrod 22 and socket 36 and the device is in operational position at alltimes to provide a narrow light beam. When bulb 34 burns out and is tobe replaced, collar 32 is grasped and rod 22 is pulled back against theforce of spring 18. Channel 14 confines collar 22 so that axial movementis assured. Socket 36 and its lamp are then removed from the device bygently pulling on the lead wires 44, plunger rod 22 being again allowedto move forward until collar 32 engages housing 12. When lamp 34 hasbeen replaced, plunger rod 22 is again retracted, socket 36 is slippedinto place and the plunger rod is again released to urge the socket andlamp into housing 12.

In the event plug 38 is not provided, collar 32 can be made adjustableon rod 22 so that lamp 34 is urged directly against housing opening 46.

The specific construction of the device can 'be modified without varyingthe inventive concept. For example, ring 24 could be threaded and fitwithin tubular housing 10. In this instance, clamp ring 28 would not berequired. Alternatively, ring 24 could be frictionally held on housing10 by means of a clamping ring. Channel 14 could also be eliminated andbe made as a flat conteachings. It-is therefore to be understood thatwithin the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practicedotherwise than as specifically described. -What I claim'is:

1. A quick disconnect socket holder, comprising a tubular housing, alamp housing in axial alignment with said tubular housing, a channelbody member connecting said tubular housing and said lamp bulb housing,socket means removably retained within said lamp bulb housing andadapted to retain a lamp bulb therein, and an elongated rod extendingthrough said tubular housing into said channel body member and abuttingthe socket means to help retain the latter in the lamp housing, saidlamp housing including a plug member, and an axially extending aperturein said plug member and-aligned with the socket means toprovide a pointsource of light.

2. A quick disconnect socket holder, comprising a tubular housing, alamp housing in axial alignment with said tubular housing, said lamphousing having a light beam opening, an arcuate channel body memberconnecting said tubular housing and said lamp housing in spaced apartrelationship, a socket member removably retained in said lamp housing, aplunger rod having a collar mounted thereon, said plunger rod beingslidably retained in said tubular housing and spring means in saidtubular housing engaging the plunger rod and adapted to move it slidablythrough said tubular housing and channel member to engage the socketmember to thereby retain the latter in the lamp housing, said collarabutting the lamp housing to stop continued movement of the plunger rodand providing the means whereby the plunger rod is moved against theforce of the spring when the socket holder is to be removed from thelamp housing.

3. The combination of claim 2, and a plug member in said lamp housing,said plug member including aligned apertures to provide a point sourceof light.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said lamp bulb housing includes asubstantially large outlet opening to allow light from a lamp bulb toemerge as a wideangled beam when used alone, and said plug member isremovably seated in said lamp bulb housing, the axial aperture of saidplug member being of lesser diameter than said outlet, opening to reducethe amount of light emerging from the socket holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,375,720 Muniz Apr. 26, 1921 1,409,135 Des Rosiers Mar. 7, 19221,798,049 Urfer Mar. 24, 1931 2,216,014 Le Sage Sept. 24, 1940 2,221,126Barbee Nov. 12, 1940 2,413,381 Rylsky Dec. 31, 1946 2,754,408 BolseyJuly 10, 1956

